1. Field of the Present Disclosure
This disclosure relates generally to hand held cutting tools and more specifically to combination tools incorporating cutting and rolling features.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Hopson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,226,824, discloses a knife with multiple roller wheels comprising an elongate hollow housing adapted to be held and operated by one hand. The housing has a first end with a slot and an opposite second end. A knife blade is provided. A structure is for retractably extending the knife blade from the slot in the first end of the housing to trim a window screen. Two roller wheels are also provided. A facility is for rotatably supporting in spaced apart relationships the two roller wheels. An assembly pivotally connects the supporting facility to one side of the housing adjacent to the second end. A stop member supports the supporting facility in a stationary position, so that one of the roller wheels will extend beyond the second end of the housing to install the window screen in a window screen frame. Carroll, U.S. Pat. No. 441,631, discloses an ornamental design for a rug cutter, as shown. Isler, U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,471, discloses a tool especially designed for a workman in a particular industry that has an elongate handle with a retractable sliding knife blade at a first end. At a second end a pair of rotatable wheels are mounted. When constructed for screen installation, one of the wheels has a convex edge for forming the screen in the groove of the screen frame and the other wheel has a concave edge for firmly holding a locking spline and forcing it into the groove to lock the screen in place. Where constructed for the paperboard box fabricator, one of the wheels has piercing points for laying out a pattern (a pounce wheel) and the other wheel has a convex edge for pressing a folding groove into the paperboard. The tool makes it possible for the worker to perform three different tasks normally performed in sequence with a single, hand-held tool to speed up his work, the knife being for trimming off screen or paperboard as required. McNamara, U.S. Pat. No. 5,014,429, discloses a utility knife that includes a mechanism for detaching the individual blade segments along segmentation lines from a segmented knife blade. The detachment mechanism includes a plunger located at the forward end of the utility knife. An adjustment mechanism advances the knife blade for alignment between the plunger and a retention chamber. Actuation of the plunger exerts a transverse force on the blade segment, detaching same from the remainder of the blade. The retention chamber prevents the detached blade segment from flying from the utility knife where it could cause injury or damage. Optionally, the utility knife may include a spare blade storage compartment and/or a guidance mechanism to facilitate the cutting of straight or curved lines in particular situations. Pelletier, U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,320, discloses an improved utility knife that includes a handle with a razor cutting blade end and a toothed cutting wheel end. An alternate embodiment includes a necked handle with a toothed cutting wheel affixed to a retractable arm which thereby allows the toothed cutting wheel to be retracted within the handle. A measuring device retention means is located near the toothed cutting wheel such that drywall can be measured and scored at the same time. Kieferle, U.S. Pat. No. 4,910,821, discloses a screen installer's tool for use when installing screening material in a frame. The tool is designed to be held in the hand with a knife blade at one end and a rotatable screen forming wheel at the other end. The body of the tool is made in two parts joined together by screws with an internal compartment which houses a supply of knife blades and also a slidable knife blade carrier. The carrier includes a finger-operable detent and pawl for permitting slidable movement of the carrier and knife blade in and out of the internal compartment so that when not in use the knife blade is locked in place within the tool body. McNamara et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,342, discloses a cutting device that includes a handle and blade. The blade being detachably connectable to the handle, and the handle including a guidance mechanism. This guidance mechanism has a convex peripheral edge and is rotatively connected to the handle. The cutting device also includes an engagement and disengagement mechanism for operatively interrelating the blade with the guidance mechanism. Arent et al., US 2005/0034309, discloses a tool for cutting compressible material, such as fiberglass insulation, comprised of a handle, a pivotable blade carrier housing, a blade carrier, with or without a razor blade slidable within the blade carrier and a compression wheel means. A slidable locking mechanism slidably coupling the razor blade within the blade carrier allows the razor blade to be retracted into the tool. Pulling the tool along the surface of insulation material while applying downward pressure to the handle and hence compression wheel allows the rotating wheel to compresses the compressible material allowing a razor blade to make a straight cut through the entire thickness of the compressible material. Arent et al., US 2004/0250425, discloses a tool for cutting insulation that is comprised of two elongated mating handles connected at a central point. A blade/blade carrier and compression wheel with gear like teeth is supported between the handle halves. An optional releasable locking mechanism in the handle allows the blade to be retracted into the tool. Pulling the tool along the surface of insulation material while applying downward pressure to the compression wheel and blade allows the rotating wheel to grip and compresses the material allowing the blade to make a straight cut without tearing. Mueller, US 2004/0216309, discloses a heavy-duty utility knife with ergonomic finger and thumb positions in relation to an internal stabilizer pivot structure that includes a wheel for safer, stronger, smoother for more efficient cutting. The said invention also provides the user with an easy access, blade change and storage feature. This feature allows for proficiency of task, as well as, creating a safe knife with skid plate to prevent injury.
The related art described above discloses various hand tools using a combination of cutting and material rolling capabilities. However, the prior art fails to disclose such hand tools allowing for improved gripping, fast changeover from cutting to rolling, and an automatically retracting the blade by simply initiating roller action. The present disclosure distinguishes over the prior art providing heretofore unknown advantages as described in the following summary.